Russian Into Danger
by Fegerrific
Summary: When Mystery Incorporated takes a pleasure trip to Russia, it soon takes a turn for the scary! A vengeful ghost arrives in the village of Piotr and is determined to smash it to the ground! Mystery Incorporated takes up the case, but can they handle the truth? After all, in Russia, mystery solve you!
1. Chapter 1

"Well, gang," Fred announced, hefting his tan suitcase from the train's luggage rack. "We made it to the village of Piotr."

"Home of the most beautiful sunsets in all of Russia," Velma read from the tourist guide.

"And the tastiest piroshki!" Shaggy interrupted. "Like, this train was groovy and all, but the supper cart only stopped by, like, three times."

"Re're rarving!" Scooby yipped, grabbing Shaggy's suitcase in his mouth and ambling towards the train car exit.

"Well, lead the way, Scoob," Fred said with a grin. "We all could use a little food before we explore the village."

As Scooby and Shaggy followed their noses towards Piotr's many cafes, Velma stopped to examine an onyx statue in the village square. Depicting an imposing bald man with a very impressive mustache, the statue glared down at Velma as she studied the piece. "Hmmm…our beloved founder, Piotr Holender," she translated from the plaque. "Fascinating."

"Hmph," came an angry voice, causing Velma to jump. "Piotr not beloved to anyone," said a slender man striding up behind Velma. He wore a turquoise sweater, jeans and a brown cap with long earflaps. A fiery red beard decorated his chin. "Sorry to startle you. Just couldn't help but overhear." The man spoke English haltingly, grasping for the proper words when needed. "I am…called Yuri Gunter. I have lived in village since birth, and Piotr is very evil man," he said, pushing his rimless glasses up the bridge of his nose "He…rewrite history to make himself founder of village, when it was really wise, kind brother Fyodor."

"Jinkies! That's awful!" Velma cried.

"Jinkies?" Yuri echoed. "What is 'jinkies?' I cannot say I hear that word before."

Velma blushed furiously. "Jinkies? Well, it's…uh…just an expression of…uh…it's French!"

"Oh…okay…I see. But no, this statue, it is representative of everything that is wrong in Russia. Someday...well, I just hope it stands no more." With a rushed farewell, Yuri dashed off into a nearby store.

"Jinkies…" Velma murmured, watching Yuri's disappearing act.

"Hey, Velma!" Shaggy called from the doorway of a Piotr cafe. "Come on, the zakuski are getting cold!"

Velma shook herself from her deep thoughts and joined the rest of the gang inside.


	2. Chapter 2

"You two like to eat!" a woman with short black hair exclaimed happily in heavily-accented English, collecting a stack of empty plates from Shaggy and Scooby's table. "Can I get more?"

Shaggy nodded, his mouth full. Gulping loudly, he replied, "Like, three more bowls of borscht, two more vatrushkas and as much piroshki as you can carry."

While the rest of the gang shook their heads in disbelief, the woman vanished into the kitchen to fulfill the request. "In Russia or Raleigh, they're still the same old Shag and Scoob," Daphne quipped.

"So who were you talking to out there, Velma?" Fred asked curiously.

As Velma recounted her conversation with Yuri, the woman returned with Shaggy and Scooby's food and swung by Fred, Velma and Daphne's table, overhearing their conversation. "I'm sorry," she interjected. "I do not mean to be rude, but did you say you were talking to Yuri Gunter?" The trio nodded. "I am called Natalya Kitaev, I own this café. Yuri is very good friend of mine. Come in every Saturday for fresh blini. Do tell him I said hello if you see him again. Now, how may I help you?"

Fred stopped trying to decipher the Cyrillic on the menu (he was reading it upside down). "Just bring us whatever you recommend," he replied with a sheepish grin. Natalya nodded and disappeared into the kitchen again.

Alone again, Fred, Velma and Daphne resumed their discussion about Yuri and Piotr until one of the cooks deposited their mouthwatering order onto the table. Just as they were about to dig in, a commotion sounded from outside. "What was that?" Velma asked, leaping to her feet.

"Let's go find out!" Fred announced, abandoning his plate and dashing out the door.

"Like, do we have to?" Shaggy whined, staring sadly at his half-eaten piroshki. Daphne grabbed the pair by their collars and dragged them outside.

Outside in the village square, a terrifying creature had appeared. Dressed in a

red and black cloak, the figure's face was hidden by a large white mask. In its gloved hands it held a blowtorch that spurted a large tongue of flame, aimed directly at the statue of Piotr!

"Hey!" Fred shouted furiously, racing towards the creature. "That statue is private property!" With a rough voice, the creature shouted something in Russian before turning and vanishing on the spot. Fred screeched to a halt, bewildered. "Hey, where'd it go?"

"It just…disappeared!" Daphne murmured.

"I know just enough Russian to know that the creature was talking about revenge," Velma announced. "Hmmm…"

"Like, don't say it!" Shaggy moaned, closing his eyes and covering his ears.

"Well, gang, looks like we've got a mystery on our hands!"

"Re raid rit," Scooby muttered sadly.

"Like, can't we go back and eat our piroshki?" Shaggy protested as the rest of the gang combed the village square for clues.

"Reah! Rand rorscht!" Scooby barked in agreement.

"Sure thing, guys," Velma replied. "I'll go with you. I want to see if Natalya knows anything about this creature."

Not daring to believe their luck, Shaggy and Scooby dashed inside Natalya's café before Velma changed her mind and made them stay in Spook Square.

Natalya looked up from cleaning a table as Velma, Shaggy and Scooby strode back inside. "Oh. You back. I feared you had 'skipped on check' as you Americans say."

"No, like, we're still hungry!" Shaggy exclaimed. "Keep the borscht comin' 'til I pass out!"

"Um…of course," Natalya murmured, vanishing into the kitchen to fulfill the request, returning a moment later with a tray full of bowls brimming with the scarlet broth. "Do enjoy." Natalya then turned to Velma. "Would you require more borscht as well?"

Velma shook her head. "Just answers, please."

"Answers?" Natalya parroted, bewildered.

"We were out in the square and saw the statue of Piotr Holender under attack by a ghostly masked figure in red and black. Would you know anything about this?"

Natalya gasped in shock and murmured something in Russian. "Please, forgive me," she choked, blinking back tears. "I believe you have met vengeful ghost. _Madame Mayhem_, as she would be called in your tongue, is from dark time in village history. Long ago, our village was founded by Fyodor Holender, very wise, kind man. But when he is passing on, village fell under control of evil brother Piotr. Piotr reign was one of terror. He taxed and taxed, imprisoning those who not pay.

"Under oppression, a figure rose from tyranny; a masked protector called _Madame Mayhem_. She broke into Piotr dungeon and freed many, smuggling them out of village. Also, she in secret gave gold to villagers to pay taxes. It drove Piotr mad to see this mystery woman make fool of him.

"But Madame was not alone in her quest. She had helpers, other masked figure that you would call the _Locust Lord _and the _Frozen Freak_. They helped her bring down Piotr evil rule. But it could not last.

"Piotr made bargain with Madame and her cohorts. He promised that he would treat villagers better if she would stop her charity. But Piotr betrayed her! In mad attempt to destroy her, he burn village to ground! The fire claimed many lives, among them were the three protectors and Piotr. Village was free from evil Piotr, but had lost protectors as well. Legend say that Madame ghost forever wanders this village, seeking revenge."

"Jinkies," Velma shuddered. Even Shaggy and Scooby had stopped eating to hear the end of the story.

Natalya nodded sadly. "It is awful story. Three brave souls lost lives to corruption! And that charlatan still has named our village!" Furiously, Natalya stormed into the kitchen.

"Jinkies…" Velma murmured.

"Like, miss, we need more borscht over here!" Shaggy called futilely. "Miss? Miss?"

Velma tossed a few rubles on the table. "I don't think we're going to find out much more here. Let's go see what the rest of the gang has found out."

"But we're still hungry!" Shaggy's protests fell on deaf ears as Velma dragged the duo out of the cafe.


	3. Chapter 3

"Well, what'd you find out, Vel?" Daphne asked.

Velma quickly recounted the tale of Madame Mayhem and her tragic death for Fred and Daphne.

"Wow," Fred murmured. "What a story!"

"What did you all find?" Velma countered.

Fred bent down by the base of the statue. "Just this white powder," he replied. "I'm not quite sure what it is, though."

Velma crouched down and dipped her finger in the powder, rolling it around in her palm. "Hmmm…" she murmured. "Let's go talk to the rest of the villagers and see what they know."

The gang strode through the now-deserted village, seeing only Yuri Gunter sitting at a table in the square with two burly men in identical brown shirts and overalls. "Ah, Miss Jinkies! These are my comrades, Sergei Kyznetsov and Evgenii Grigorev." The men grunted noncommittally. Yuri chuckled awkwardly. "They are men of few word. Speak little English. How may I help you and your comrades?"

Velma blushed slightly." It's Velma. Not Miss…uh…Jinkies. We just wanted to ask you about Madame Mayhem's ghost,"

"Oh, Miss Velma," Yuri chuckled deeply. "You have done research. Madame Mayhem is a well-known figure in our village history. Although, Natalya is better storyteller than I."

"We've talked to her. But—"

"Then I have no more to tell you," Yuri interrupted, abruptly leaping to his feet. "Do enjoy your stay here in village." He and his cohorts strode away quickly, speaking to each other in rapid-fire Russian.

"Hmmm…that certainly was suspicious," Fred murmured.

"I don't think Yuri is telling us the whole story," Velma said. "I want another look at that statue."

"There's got to be something we're missing!" Velma exclaimed, crouching down on her hands and knees to examine the ground around the statue. "Jinkies! What's this?" Her grasping hands had uncovered a loose tile under the statue that moved to reveal a hidden tunnel!

"Jeepers! A tunnel!" Daphne remarked. "That must be how Madame was able to disappear so quickly!"

"Let's see where it leads!" Fred proclaimed.

Shaggy moaned softly. "Like, do we have to?" But his protests fell on deaf ears as the gang clambered into the tunnel.

With only Velma's flashlight to guide them, the gang crept slowly through the dark passageway. "What is this place even?" Daphne asked, squeaking a little as an abandoned cobweb brushed across her face.

"This might have been Madame's old hideout," Velma mused. "Or maybe old catacombs or even the remnants of an old sewer."

"Rewer?" Scooby echoed. "Ruck! Ra-tooey!"

A burst of rapid-fire Russian sounded from behind them. The gang, filled with dread, turned slowly to see Madame's white-masked face glowing in the tunnel! And she wasn't alone! Behind her stood two more masked figures: one with an ice-blue mask and cloak; the other wore an insectoid-looking mask and a black-and-silver jumpsuit. They hissed and snarled threateningly at the frightened gang.

"Like, ZOINKS!" Shaggy screeched, bolting at the sight of the fearsome creatures. Scooby raced behind his owner, followed closely by the rest of the gang.

After a harrowing chase through the tunnel (backed by off-key sixties pop music), Fred, Velma and Daphne met up with Shaggy and Scooby at the end of the tunnel, where a dark set of stairs was located. Fred motioned the gang up, but Shaggy and Scooby refused until the silhouetted forms of the three ghosts appeared! Convinced, Shaggy, Scooby and the rest of the gang quickly clambered up the staircase. The mysterious music playing in the background slowly ground to a halt.

The gang climbed the staircase, which led to a rough-hewn trapdoor. With a mighty shove, the gang managed to open up the trapdoor and clamber out into a root cellar. "Hmmm…" Velma mused. "Wonder where we are?" Carefully, Fred replaced the trapdoor and placed a heavy crate over the top to prevent the ghosts from following them.

"Look, more stairs," Daphne whispered. "Let's see where they go?"

Shaggy shuddered. "M-must w-we?"

"You're welcome to stay here," Fred replied breezily. "Alone."

"You make a compelling case, Fred," Shaggy stammered, racing up the stairs behind Fred, Velma and Daphne. At the top of the stairs was another door. Velma cautiously creaked it open, only to find themselves in a kitchen!

Shaggy and Scooby leaped forward in excitement, causing the cooks to look up in shock. "Oh, if only every creepy tunnel of doom could lead us to a place so wonderful!"

The bewildered cooks could only stare in confusion as the rest of the gang filed into the kitchen. "Sorry, we're…uh…a little lost," Fred remarked, which only served to confuse the Russian cooks, who spoke no English, even more.

Furiously, Natalya burst into the kitchen, scolding in rapid-fire Russian, only to stop in shock as she noticed Mystery Incorporated. "May I ask why you in my kitchen?" she finally asked once she'd recovered. Mystery Incorporated quickly explained their predicament. "A tunnel?" she reiterated, confused. "Show me."

"But, like, the ghosts are probably still there," Shaggy protested, but his protests fell on deaf ears as the gang took Natalya to the tunnel.


	4. Chapter 4

Natalya surveyed the tunnel with interest, excitedly checking out every nook and cranny. "This tunnel must have been secret Madame hideout!" she giggled like a schoolgirl on a first date. "This is very important piece of history. Thank you kids for finding! I am so happy! I could run tours of place!"

"Haunted ghost tours," Shaggy murmured to himself. Daphne aimed a 'hush' glare at him while Natalya squealed excitedly.

"Hmmm…Velma murmured, taking Fred aside. "I think I've got a pretty good idea of what's been going on here," she whispered. "But we need to catch those ghosts to make sure."

"Okay," Fred replied quietly. "I have just the plan. Leave everything to me."

One bribe of three borscht-flavored Scooby Snacks later, Shaggy and Scooby were suited up for the trap, disguised as statue renovators. "Well, Comrade Scooby," Shaggy called loudly. "I guess we need to begin renovating this glorious statue of the rightful village leader, Piotr!"

"Ruh huh!" Scooby barked. "Righrul reader!"

With a burst of smoke, Madame and her cohorts appeared on the scene, shouting in rapid-fire Russian. "Like, GANGWAAY!" Shaggy screeched, ducking under Madame's outstretched arms and dashing into the hidden tunnel below the statue.

Shaggy and Scooby led the three ghosts on a frantic chase through the cavernous tunnels before racing up the staircase into Natalya's kitchen. "Here they come!" Velma called. "Get ready!"

Shaggy and Scooby dashed into the kitchen, ducking under Fred's trap. As the ghosts raced after Shaggy and Scooby, Fred clobbered each one with a loaf of stale bread. As all three ghosts lay dazed on the ground, Velma and Daphne quickly tied them up with little effort.

"We got 'em!" Daphne cheered.

"And now to see who they really are," Fred remarked, yanking off Madame's mask.


	5. Chapter 5

"Natalya!" Fred gasped in shock.

"And these two are the cooks from her restaurant," Velma announced, ripping off the Locust Lord and Frozen Freak's masks.

"Ooh, remind me not to put so much starch in bread," Natalya murmured woozily, still recovering from the baked good assault.

"But, why, Natalya?" Fred asked.

Natalya sighed. "All right. I guess after scaring you the way we did, you deserve explanation." She took a deep breath, steadying herself before continuing. "You see, Madame Mayhem, she was my grandmamma. Very brave woman she was, fighting corruption when women were nothing in this country. Her cause was valiant and noble, and she die because of corruption! So I vowed that her sacrifice never be forgotten! I never meant it to go so far. But you would not stop meddling!"

Velma nodded. "It's what we do," she replied carelessly. "Your cause is very noble. However, I think there's a better way to keep your grandmamma's memory alive than wanton destruction of property."

"But how?" Natalya asked.

A long line of people snaked its way through the village square and into Natalya's café. "Thank you so much for all your help, Mystery Incorporated!" Natalya squealed, carrying a tray full of borscht past the gang, delivering it to Yuri and his comrades. "I have never been so busy!"

"Well, we're happy to help," Fred replied.

"Grandmamma's favorite meal was borscht, so I now call it Grandmamma's Special. And with each order, they receive small card with her tale on it! Now they are selling, as you Americans say, like hotcakes! Soon, all of village will know of Grandmamma's heroics and Piotr's treachery."

"Maybe they'll replace Piotr's statue with one of your grandmamma," Velma finished excitedly.

Natalya beamed. "I would like that very much. And so, I believe, would grandmamma."

At a table nearby, Scooby and Shaggy slurped from their fourth bowl of borscht each. "Like, Scoob, if only every mystery could end with a reward like this," Shaggy sighed happily, diving into bowl number five.

"Scooby-Rooby-ROO!" Scooby barked in agreement, causing the café to ring with laughter.


End file.
